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Model Horse Blab FAQ

Here you can find answers to questions about how the board works. Use the links or search box below to find your way around.

Post in the Topic Forum Where the Post Subject Belongs

You must post and start new threads in the most proper forum for the topic.

A free member may not start a thread about a topic that belongs in a paid forum, in a free forum where it does not belong, in order to circumvent her lack of access to the appropriate paid forum. Doing so will result in a one-week suspension of posting privileges. If it is not discovered right away, the suspension will start from the time that management is aware and able to impose the suspension, even if it is some time after the post.

If the same member repeatedly opens threads in what are clearly the wrong forums, particularly paid topics in free forums, this becomes a burden to the mods who must move the threads. We will regretfully have to take steps to make sure it doesn't continue.

No posting (or suggesting) sales/trades/wants outside the Sales Forum

Offering items for sale or trade, or offering to buy or trade for someone else's items (models or anything else), is STRICTLY forbidden outside the Sales Forum. The Sales Forum is available for posting by category to Paid Subscribers. No one else may in any way offer or suggest a transaction they would like to make (even as a future possibility) anywhere on the board.

Members are welcome to use Blab's Private Message (PM) system to inquire and respond about transaction offers. Blab also allows such material in a member's signature (see top links My Blab > Edit Signature). Both free and paid members enjoy these privileges.

Repeated infractions: Probably won't be on Blab any more, because we don't really mess around with non-learners.

No Deliberate Duplicate Posts or Threads

You may only make your post once, in one forum. Duplicates will be deleted or merged, and the poster will be warned. A repeat offender will receive sanctions, possibly including loss of Blab privileges for serious offenders.

Please Use the Search Function

Prior to asking a question, please try using the "forum search" function to see if someone has already asked the same question.

Please note that if the results yield threads where the last post was a year or more old, it's not a good idea to resurrect it. If your question isn't completely answered by the old thread, then it is okay to post a new one.

Please avoid resurrecting "zombie threads"

When you have found an interesting discussion and would like to participate, take a quick look at the date of the last post. Is it 9 months to a year old, or more? If so, in most cases it is much better to start a new thread, perhaps with a slight change in direction to give fresh inspiration to members to post. Link to the old thread if you think it adds to the discussion to include that source material.

Threads that concluded a discussion a year or more before a new post is made are nicknamed "zombie threads". People participating in the discussion have already said what they wanted to say. Often information is dated.

Some exceptions to not resurrecting dead threads are posting new updates and fresh information (not another opinion) to a thread about a particular event, transaction or person (not a hobbyist).

Members will find some very, very old threads that are still active, even though the first post was made years ago, such as "What is making you happy today?". There are several on Blab. Each of these individual threads is a particular Blab tradition, and remain active because of the continuous stream of current posts. They are not zombies but immortals. ;)

---Sub-forums - things to know---

Special-purpose forums.

"Paid Members Only" Message Bug

This message is supposed to display only when guests or registered members try to access areas reserved for paid members. However, it may not display even to paid members, on occasion. All forums default to show only threads with posts in the last 30 days. A forum that has not had a post in the last 30 days displays the "paid only" message, instead of a better explanation. To correct this problem, scroll all the way to the bottom of the forum page to the section "Display Options." There are drop-downs that will allow you to show the earlier threads/posts.

Limited Access to Youth Forum

The Youth Forum is a place for younger members to have fun, ask each other questions, and offer each other support and advice, in their own way. This forum is viewable and accessible only to users 17 years old and under, and a few adult mentors. To request access to the youth forum, registered Paid Participants 18 and Under can email or PM one of the moderators.

The Transaction Board Rules

The Transaction Board (TTB) is informational only, as a service to help hobbyists make informed transaction decisions.
TTB depends on the integrity of the members who post to share fair and accurate information with the hobby.

The Transactions Board forum shares information about hobby transactions (and only hobby transactions, please).
Itís also a place to ask for general advice on transactions.
Requests for advice that do not name the other party should be phrased generally.

Posted information about specific hobby transactions must:
- Relate only factual, first-hand accounts. Posts may not include speculation and/or innuendo.
- Not include personal info such as email or home addresses, family or other non-hobby members.
- Do not load your post with anger and blasted warnings; no name-calling or aspersions. Such posts may be removed. Stay informational.
- All posts must include your true first and last name, either in the post or in your signature
- OR, you can log your first & last name into
the first/last name thread at the top of the TTB forum. If you can't share your first & last name, you can't report a transaction in TTB.

The other party may be named, but if that person is not on Blab, in the interest of fairness,
please let the individual you are reporting know you are posting and why, with a link to the Blab thread.
Advise them they can register and respond at no cost. Other parties may also notify the individual.
Blab takes no responsibility for such notifications. Blab management does not notify other parties about reports.
Do NOT post another party's personal information, such as email or other
contact information, address, personal or family information, etc. You may share
their usernames/screen names on Blab, eBay, etc. If there is a GOOD reason you may share their city and state to
help others know if they are in contact with the same person. Contact mods with serious issues that might
need further identification.

You may post the details in only one thread per transaction.
Once you have posted a thread about a transaction,
or added your transaction to an existing thread about the same person,
you may not open a new thread about the same transaction (unless you are changing 'lights'). Updates may be added to the existing thread for as long
as they occur.
The exception to the above rule is if you are changing "lights". That is, after another event(s) has occurred,
and you wish to increase your caution to a yellow or red, or lower the alert to green, or another change, you
may do that in a new thread. If you do
this, please post a link to the earlier thread in the first post and explain. Note that Blab mods do not change
thread titles to chand "lights," nor do Blab mods make any judgment on what "lights" are merited. It is up
to the poster and the reader to make their own judgment.
If you think your transaction is relevant in another thread, in that thread you may post a
link to the other reporting thread. (You may link directly to the post with the details, if you wish.) Blab encourages these links
to help keep all the information accessible to readers.

The terms "ROA," "rip-off artist", "scammer" or similar characterizations may *not* be used on TTB, by anyone, in any post, in any context. It is too broad a generalization, there's no way to know all the factors, and on TTB it is considered name-calling. If you think the term applies, you must leave it to the readers to reach their own conclusion.

TTB is not a place to vent, express angst, or seek payback. TTB is not for retribution and name-calling.

TTB is not for posting criticism and commentary about other people. Even if someone is reported to have behaved badly, only the transaction is up for discussion, not the individual.

If a thread-opening posts deviates in so many respects from TTB rules that there is little left after editing, it may be removed.
Refusal to post according to TTB rules will result in suspension from TTB.

TTB readers please note:
- Blab cannot guarantee the truth of any post. Blab makes no attempt to filter reports based on truthfulness.
- TTB can't promise complete or updated information on any transaction or hobbyist mentioned in a report.
- TTB can't promise that advice given is accurate or the best course of action.
- TTB is for sharing information only. Reports are not investigated by Blab, or any further action taken.
- Readers should exercise their own discretion and good judgment about the information posted.

What TTB is *not* intended to do:

*** TTB should not be used in anger. ***

Reporting a transaction on TTB is- not a weapon to punish others;
- not a way to "stop" someone from engaging in transactions;
- not a court investigating all aspects of a transaction;
- not intended to be a hobby police.

TTB is merely a means to help
keep the hobby strong by passing on information only about transactions, so hobbyists can make
informed transaction decisions. Blab is not the place for a member to try to do any of the above.

Deliberate misuse of TTB can lead to temporary or permanent suspension of access to the TTB forum, and very possibly all Blab.

What's on Your Mind Forum Rules

The What's On Your Mind forum (aka WOYM) is special area of Blab for frank, adult discussion with very little moderation. Access to this forum is limited to paid members who are 18 or older, who have more than 300 posts on Blab, active for at least four months. You can request access from a moderator. Please take into consideration these rules regarding WOYM:

- You may not discuss, or make fun of other hobbyists by name or by inference.
- Do not use WOYM as a place to discuss threads started outside of WOYM.
- Swearing and cursing is permitted. Calling each other names is not permitted.
- If an image is gory the poster is requested to post a warning in the thread title.
- Extremely violent images are not permitted.
- All other Blab post content rules are in force in WOYM. Violations should be reported.
- The contents of discussions in WOYM must be kept in WOYM.

Please also keep the following in mind: If people are posting while upset or in duress, it is an inopportune time to quarrel with them over the wisdom of their actions. Furthermore, there is no protocol that requires people to be supportive during such times. Although we certainly hope that members will be supportive of one another, WOYM is not by definition a support group.

Yo! Forum Rules

Yo! is intended to be a place where- you can ask other individuals to get in contact with you, or
- you can advise Blab members that you will be out-of-touch for a period of time (vacation, illness, busy-ness, etc.)

***When responding, do *not* publish specific information about another person.***Because you would be sharing that
information with an audience of over a thousand unknown strangers! This is the internet, after all.
You must respond with details through Private Message only - by selecting the original poster's name
and then selecting Private Message.

Please note that if you are making a general request for the status of or
contact information for another individual, you must ask people to contact you with that information *privately.*
We do not want other people's private information (email addresses, family info, divorce, illness) being slapped up for
public consumption in this forum. The Yo! forum is visible to non-members who are just browsing the internet.

Be aware that the Yo! forum and all content is visible to all internet browsers, including non-members of Blab.
We like to think of Blab as a safe place, but we have no way of knowing who is harvesting information posted Yo!

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